Word to the Wise
by Cithariza
Summary: Robin gets in trouble at school.  Batman imparts to his ward some words of wisdom.


**A/N: Ugh, I'm still working on the next chapter for Iso, for those of you who are reading it, I promise I haven't forgotten it. I just had an idea for another one-shot, only this time it's humor. I have never written a humor piece before, so I hope it isn't terrible.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Word to the Wise

The ride home was a silent one. And if there was one thing Dick Grayson didn't like, it was silence. He knew it meant that he was in _big _trouble. Even though he was only thirteen, and had been living with the Bats for almost five years, the young boy had a keen awareness about these things.

Dick had only received the silent treatment twice under the older man's care. The first time he was grounded for a whole month after Dick was caught cheating on Miss Kensington's spelling test back in the 3rd grade. The second time, Bruce made him clean the Batmobile for six weeks after Dick tried to sneak out of the manor one night to meet up with some friends last year. Dick's muscles still ached just at the very thought of that day. He forced down the knot in his stomach at the thought of what kind of punishment Bruce would give him this time. The teen had never seen Bruce so quiet before today.

With a startle, the car jerked to a stop. To his chagrin, Dick realized they were home. One step closer to the verdict, he thought sardonically. He really wasn't looking forward to the reprimand he was surely about to face.

Bruce remained quiet as he pulled the keys out of the ignition. Without so much as acknowledging his protégé, the billionaire got off the car and sauntered toward the mansion, his body language tense and stiff. Sighing, Dick got out of the car as well, his feet dragging in the gravel as he inched his way closer inside.

As hard as he tried, the boy couldn't prolong the inevitable. Eventually he found himself inside, being greeted by a jovial Alfred. The aging butler had a grin on his face when the young master entered, but it was quickly wiped off his face as he took in the boy's disheveled countenance.

"Master Richard, what happened?" he asked concernedly. The adolescent was about to answer, but was cut off by the all too familiar gruff voice of his guardian.

"He got into a fight at school, Alfred."

"You should see the other guy," Dick added victoriously, not all fazed by the injuries he had sustained in the fray.

The butler gasped as he further assessed the cuts and bruises on Dick's face. "Oh, my. Come on then, let's get you some ice for that eye." The greying man ushered the boy into the kitchen and sat him down at the kitchen table as he began to rummage through the freezer. Some moments later, Bruce came into the kitchen and took a seat across from his ward as Alfred brought out the ice pack.

"You need to keep this on your eye Master Richard, or else it will swell," the butler fussed as he pressed the pack up against Dick's eye. Once the boy reached his hand to take the pack, Alfred let go.

"Shall I make some tea, then? The usual?" When he didn't receive a response, Alfred quietly excused himself as he hurried to the teapot, preparing the usual Earl Grey for both Master Bruce and Master Richard.

"Dick," Bruce began to say before the younger male cut him off.

"Look, I don't care what you say!" he exclaimed, "Johnny has been harassing Steve for the past _two_ weeks! I tried to tell the teachers, but nobody believed me. I had to stop him, Bruce."

The Dark Knight exhaled loudly. "I know. And Steve vouching for you is what saved you from being suspended. I'm not saying you didn't do the right thing, but Dick you need to realize that you aren't like most kids your age. You could have seriously hurt this boy."

The bird ran his fingers through his jet-black hair. " I know, but seeing him bully Steve like that made me so mad."

"Anger is a dangerous emotion, Dick. On the one hand, it can give you the strength to rectify a given situation…if you can control it. But if you let the anger control you, it can be destructive…not only to the person on the receiving end, but to the inflictor as well. Anger should not beget violence. More harm than good will come out of it. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Dick sat there, pondering what he had said. After a few minutes of reflection, the boy nodded. "I think so."

"Good."

"Tea, sirs?" Alfred politely inquired as he poured the brew into two cups. Carefully, he placed a cup in front of each person. "Enjoy, sirs."

Once Alfred left, the room was filled with silence once more. The two crime fighters sipped on their tea in peace. However, after a few minutes, Dick became uncomfortable with the stillness.

"So…does this mean I'm not in trouble, since I did the right thing?"

The leader of the Dynamic Duo looked at his sidekick, his dark blues eyes twinkling in amusement. "Oh, no. You're still in trouble. Starting tomorrow, you will clean the Batcave with a toothbrush for two weeks."

"Aw, man!"

**A/N: Well, that was my attempt at some lighthearted stuff. How was it? Please let me know! I like critiques. If people like this sort of thing, I will definitely dedicate more time to it, but I need to know that my stuff will be read. So please review, it really helps me gauge what my strengths and weaknesses are. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed it!**


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